Warm Up and Slim Down with Soup – Elegant Oyster Soup

It’s that time of your for soup – try this one – Elegant Oyster Soup!

Ingredients ScreenHunter_298 Jan. 24 16.49

Original recipe makes 6 servings

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup carrot, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
  • 1/cup celery, finely chopped
  • ½ cup button mushrooms, chopped
  • ½ cup butter (or lower calorie whipped butter or margarine substitute)
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 quart chicken broth
  • 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepperIMG_8130
  • ¼ tsp dried thyme
  • ¼ tsp dried oregano
  • ¼ tsp dried sage
  • 1 cup heavy cream (or fat-free half ‘n half)
  • 12 shucked oysters and juice

 PREP 15 mins; COOK 45 mins; READY IN 1 hr

Directions

  1. Chop all vegetables with Ulu Knife as noted for recipeIMG_8902
  2. In a large pot, saute chopped carrot, onion, celery and fresh mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter for 5 minutes or until the onions are transparent.
  3. In another large pot, melt 1/2 cup butter and stir in the flour. Cook for 5 minutes.
  4. Whisk in the chicken broth to the flour mixture. Add the sauteed vegetables, artichokes hearts, bay leaf, salt, cayenne pepper, thyme, oregano and sage. Simmer for 30 minutes over medium heat.
  5. Shuck your oysters (hint try one of Gonzo’s oyster knives and shucking board)
  6. Whisk in cream and add oysters; bring to a simmer, but do not boil.

 

 

Love Bacon? Try Oysters Kilpatrick!

Do you love bacon? Then you have to try this quick and easy recipe for oysters Kilpatrick!ScreenHunter_280 Jan. 11 13.32

Ingredients

  • 6 fresh oysters, shucked, shells and juices reserved
  • Panko crumbs
  • 2 rashers streaky bacon, rind removed, finely chopped
  • ½ tsp Tabasco
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp butter

Preparation method

  • For the oysters Kilpatrick, fry the chopped bacon over a medium-low heat until the fat begins to melt and the bacon is IMG_8899golden-brown.
  • Add the Panko crumbs into frying pan and mix with the bacon until thoroughly combined. Transfer half the crumbs to a small mixing bowl.
  • Add the Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce to the remaining crumbs in the frying pan. Mix until the crumbs come together.
  • Place the oyster shells onto the baking tray. Place teaspoonfuls of the Tabasco crumb mixture onto each empty oyster shell and top with a cooked oyster.
  • Sprinkle the oysters Kilpatrick liberally with the reserved bacon and Panko crumbs. Dot each oyster with ½ teaspoon of butter.
  • Place the baking tray with all six oysters under a hot grill for 1-2 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.
  • Place the oysters on a serving dish that has been liberally sprinkled with salt and serve immediately.

Gonzo’s Fried Oysters

ScreenHunter_268 Jan. 02 11.04Try fried oysters Gonzo-style. Simple, easy to make, and delicious!

  • Prepare oysters by carefully shucking a dozen using oyster shucking knife and shucking board.
  • Heat deep fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  • Combine flour, Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning (or see list of spices below for your own seasoning mix), salt and black pepper.  Dredge oysters in flour mixture, dip in egg and roll in bread crumbs.
  • Carefully slide oysters into hot oil. Cook five at a time until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Drain briefly on paper towels. Serve hot.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon Essence, plus 1 tablespoon
  • 16 freshly shucked oysters, about 1 pint, drainedIMG_8902
  • 1/2 cup masa harina
  • 1/2 cup  all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups vegetable oil, for frying
  • 2 tablespoons of Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning or to taste.

Other option – switch out Chachere’s seasoning for these ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
  • 1  tablespoons onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Crawfish Etouffee for New Years, New Orleans-Style!

ScreenHunter_251 Dec. 26 19.25Crawfish Etouffee

Ingredients

  • 1 stick butter
  • 2 cups chopped onions
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
  • 1 pound peeled crawfish tails
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Pinch of cayenne
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
  • 3 tablespoons chopped green onions

Directions

In a large saute pan over medium high heat, melt the butter. After cutting your onions, celery and bell peppers with your Ulu knife, add them to a pan and saute until the vegetables are wilted, aboutIMG_9058 10 to 12 minutes. Add the crawfish, garlic, and bay leaves and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the crawfish for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Dissolve the flour in the water. Add the crawfish mixture. Season with salt and cayenne. Stir until the mixture thickens, about 4 minutes. Stir in the parsley and green onions, and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Serve over steamed rice.

Recipe Courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

 

Now on Twitter and Facebook!

ScreenHunter_231 Dec. 24 15.10Social media helps us spread the word on oysters and more! Join me on Twitter @halgonzalesjr or https://twitter.com/halgonzalesjr/ and/or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/halgonzalesjr. Follow us and LIKE us! Glad to have you join us!

ScreenHunter_232 Dec. 24 15.11